New Music: Nas & Damian Marley - 'Friends'

A few more cuts from Nas and Damian Marley's Distant Relatives LP have hit the web today.

This, by conservative estimates, puts the total number of tracks that have leaked to around 43 by conservative estimates. I have a feeling a double CD might be necessary...

I was going to let these new leaks slide in the hope that there will be something new to hear by the time Distant Relatives drops legitimately (circle May 18 on your calendars, folks).

But after giving 'My Generation' and 'Friends' a whirl, I think the later is right up there with 'As We Enter' as my favourite of the bunch. Slow, soulful... this is just damn good music.

So here we go. The last Nas and Damian Marley post for a while... well, until Distant Relatives comes out, anyway. Check it out here for a strictly limited time, and remember to get your wallets out next month:

Mix Tape: Pac Div - Don't Mention It

You might have noticed that most of my posts have fallen in to two camps over the last few weeks. The first camp - golden age inspired bits and pieces. The second camp - Damian Marley & Nas leaks.

The reason for this? Well, I don't want to get my Grumpy Old Man on (okay, I'm lying), but there simply hasn't been much new music of the hip hop persuasion that's been exciting me recently.

Thankfully, Pac Div have stepped in to reverse the flow by dropping a new mix tape, Don't Mention It. Hal-le-lujah. No offence to the afore-mentioned staple post sources of course, but variety is the spice of life, innit? (now that I'm allowed to vote in the UK General Election, I feel that I'm able to say 'innit' with some sense of conviction. Geezer done good.)

If you're not familiar with Pac Div, now would be a good time to start brushing up. The Los Angeles-based trio clocked in with one of 2009's better hip hop releases, Church League Champions. Okay, so it doesn't say much for hip hop in 2009 when a free mix tape can crack my top 10 - but it does say a lot for Pac Div.

Now they're back with Don't Mention It, another dope mix of new material. While Church League Champions was an unmistakable nod to the old school, Don't Mention It seems a little more anchored in the modern day. It's a nice change, too. Again, variety is the spice of life, innit? Two for two on the innits. May as well just give me a UK passport now.

So, what are my personal favourites? On first spin, 'Birds' featuring Pill, 'Broccoli' (old men love broccoli) and 'Don't Forget The Swishers' all stand out, but Don't Mention It sounds like it's packing heat from start to finish ('Overcome' is my long-term sleeper pick). If they're going to keep giving this stuff away, imagine how good the official Pac Div album's going to be?

You can download Don't Mention It by Pac Div here.

New Music: Guilty Simpson - 'Friends Only'

Guilty Simpson exudes toughness. I mean real toughness... not only-on-wax-toughness... and definitely not internet gangster-toughness. Guilty's slow, measured drawl screams "don't fuck with me... seriously" - but that doesn't mean he can't flow over a soulful joint or two every now and then.

With Mr Simpson getting set to release a new album, OJ Simpson, he's decided to team up with his label, Stone's Throw, to create a wee treat for the non-digital fans out there - namely, a 7" of non-album cut 'Friends Only'.

The more observant of you might recognise 'Friends Only' as a re-packaged version of Erykah Badu's 'Umm Hmm' (produced by Guilty's label mate Madlib). But who cares? It's nice to see Guilty show his sensitive side (actually, I think I should listen to the lyrics again... I don't know if it's as caring and sharing as I'm making out).

For those of you who think that a turntable is one of those things that plays really big CDs, Stone's Throw have been kind enough to post up 'Friends Only' for free on their website. Go forth and download here.

Video: Nas & Damian Marley - 'As We Enter'

More Damian Marley and Nas today - this time, it's a new video for the dynamite single 'As We Enter'.

For those London fans who (like me) were looking forward to seeing the duo do their thing in the flesh, this is as close as your going to get for the next few months (curses on that damn Icelandic volcano).

But for those of you in Blighty who simply can't face not seeing Nas and Damian live, fear not. Tickets are on sale for a new show, set to take place on 20 July at London's Hammersmith something-or-rather.

Okay, okay, it's true - I'm too lazy to Google where you can get tickets from, or what the venue's proper name is. If you want to go, let your fingers do the walking. Call it a test of your commitment. Yeah... that's it.

As We Enter - Distant Relatives


Distant Relatives MySpace Music Videos

Also, while you're at it, do you feel like checking out another album cut from Distant Relatives? Sound good? Neat. This time, the track doing the rounds is 'Africa Must Wake Up' featuring K'Naan. Get in quick kids, 'cause once it's gone, it's gone.

New Music: Dela - The Robert Glasper Beat Tape

Last month, French producer Dela dropped The Robert Glasper Beat Tape, a tidy little compilation of jazzy (pronounced: yazzy)instrumentals inspired by the work of jazz pianist Robert Glasper.

Dela's handiwork has been getting some serious play on the old GOMWAB transistor (in between sessions of sports talk back radio of course - summer is approaching, kiddies), but I've just realised that I've been hoarding this little beauty instead of sharing the love. So here we go - perfect Sunday afternoon listening fare.

The story behind The Robert Glasper Beat Tape goes a little something like this. Dela was working on an LP by the name of Changes Of Atmosphere back in 2007 when he first heard Glasper's In My Element LP. After a little hiatus, Dela eventually found his way back to Glasper's album a few years later, and was inspired.

Dela says: “Some of the interludes [on In My Element] are basically hip-hop beats already… I was like, I can’t sample the whole album and get away with it, can I? Can I??? I felt guilty already, so I figured I might as well do it, but call it a remix album or something. And I started making these beats. So there you go now.”

So, what can you expect from The Robert Glasper Beat Tape? Nothing flashy - just some plain old good instrumental hip hop music with a strong jazz twist. A little reminiscent of Pete Rock's Petestrumentals perhaps, or one of Dilla's earlier beat tapes. Yep, it's quality business, alright - niceness, guranteed.

You can listen to and/or download The Robert Glasper Beat Tape by Dela below:

Mix Tape: DJ Premier - Guru Tribute Mix

The untimely passing of Keith 'Guru' Elam (he of Gangstarr and Jazzmatazz fame) has left a hole in the heart of hip hoppers the world over. But there's also been a little controversy. Yep... I'm talking about that letter.

If you're not up to speed on 'the letter', here's what's gone down in a nutshell. Following Guru's death, a letter allegedly written by him was released by his most recent producer, Solar. The letter effectively denounced Guru's relationship with his Gangstarr brother in arms DJ Premier, banning him from being involved in any tribute events.

Now, it's common knowledge that Guru and Premier had their differences. But on reading the letter, it seems apparent to most fans that it's been penned by Solar (who really hasn't won many fans since Guru slipped into a coma in early March).

If you want to hear a full breakdown of the letter in all its shady glory, listen to Hot 97's Peter Rosenberg and Cipha Sounds as they run it over with a fine tooth comb.

Of course, DJ Premier is not a man who I'd imagine likes taking orders from any one. So the hip hop world waited patiently to see how he would respond. A few days after Guru's passing, Premier took the high ground by drafting a classy statement. But would he heed the 'no tribute' directive? I think we all know the answer to that question.

On Friday night, Preem took to the airwaves for his regular Sirius radio show Live From HeadQcourtez and hit off a bangin' two hour set of classic Guru and Gangstarr material. Was it a tribute? No - according to Premier, it was a salute.

It's only right that Premier pays his respects, of course. When people think about Guru's best music, they're probably not going to name check Solar, are they? One of the Guru vocal stings that Premier drops during the show sums it up: "Like straight up, as far as Premier's beats style and my rhyme styles... that shit we on, you can't duplicate that shit, never in a million life times."

Listen below (or download here) as Premier drops a heavy selection of all things Guru, featuring what he describes as their more "rebellious" music, including tracks such as 'Above The Clouds' and 'Soliloquy of Chaos'.

Premier also takes some calls from Guru's nephew (who sounds more than a little like Guru, don't ya think?), and clears the air on a few matters, announcing that despite the best efforts of others (ahem... Solar), he did in fact visit Guru in the hospital.

Keith "Guru" Elam Tribute Mix by Dj Premier Blog Radio on Mixcloud

Thanks to DJ Premier Blog.

New Music: Quincy Jones x Kool G Rap - 'Ill Street Burrs (Hayden Brown Remix)'

I pity the fool that tests Kool G. Rap. That man right there on the left is an MC who has repped his hard-as-nails image to the fullest, alright. But while many mic slingers tend to overplay the tough guy act, G. Rap always seems convincing. Definitely not the sort of geezer you'd want to run into in a dark alley.

When it comes to KG.R, there's a slew of classic material to choose from, but I, for one, find it hard to look past the seminal 'Ill Street Blues'. Some rather ill, piano-laced production from Trackmasters sets the scene wonderfully, while Mr Rap (sounds like a bad sitcom) lives up to his moniker by positively slaying the track.

You can refresh your memory by checking out 'Ill Street Blues' below:



So, why all this G. Rap talk? Well, a gentleman by the name of Hayden Brown has been kind enough to fire through a remix of the afore-mentioned classic. This has made me happy for two reasons. 1. I love this song; and 2. It wasn't a crappy track from a Lithuanian grunge band or a Nordic hard dance act (seriously people, read the blog before you send me shit).

I finally got a chance to take a listen to Brown's handy work earlier this week (because I'm so important that I have little time to catch up on my listening... yeah... that's it). And whaddayaknow, it's pretty tidy.

Brown's remix (named 'Ill Street Burrs') replaces the original rolling piano sample lifted from the Bluenote classic 'Get Out Of My Life Woman' with a little somethin' somethin' from Quincy Jones, all chopped up right nice-like.

As Brown says, this is a "fun take on a classic hip hop track", where G Rap's flow "is amazing and his narrative of the seamy underbelly of daily life being a goon for hire in pre-Giuliani New York seemed to fit so well with this theatrical funk sequence." Lovely.

You can listen to and/or download Quincy Jones x Kool G Rap - 'Ill Street Burrs (Hayden Brown Remix)' below:

Quincy Jones x Kool G Rap - Ill Street Burrs (Hayden Brown remix) by Hayden Brown

R.I.P. Keith ‘Guru’ Elam

Breaking news this morning – and unfortunately, it’s not good. In fact, it’s devastating. It seems that Guru, one half of legendary hip hop group Gangstarr alongside DJ Premier, has lost his battle with cancer.

According to DJPremierBlog.Com, Guru – a.k.a. Keith Elam – passed away on Monday, 19 April. He had been hospitalised in March when he fell into a coma, with reports indicating that he has been diagnosed as suffering from Anoxia. But while recent updates indicated that Guru was making a good recovery, it appears that he was in fact suffering from a far greater illness.

Guru apparently penned a letter from his deathbed. I can guarantee that the legitimacy of this letter will be the subject of great debate for a long time to come (it seems shady to say the least - it's pretty hard to write a letter in a coma, after all). But you know what? Fuck all that – right now, I’m feeling numb. And sad.

For me, Guru was one of the best. He had one of the most distinctive voices hip hop has ever heard. Some of the clearest memories of my teenage years revolve around a 13 year old me walking around my home town bumping Step In The Arena on cassette tape, and being absolutely floored by his rhymes and delivery. The personification of dopeness:



The list of unbelievable music which Guru created during his time on earth could go on and on for days, of course. But I’m not in the mood for typing.

There will be far lengthier tributes than this. They will be more poignant and eloquent. But right now, it seems to me that the best tribute I can give is to put Guru on repeat, hit the road, and let the music do the talking.

Digging In The Crates: Beatphreak - 'Gospel Nights'

Welcome to the first installment of 'Digging In The Crates', yet another infrequent GOMWAB series (Interview Archives, anyone? Under The Radar?). As the name suggests, the focus of D.I.T.C. (the series, not the crew) is dipping into the archives and dusting off some dope tunes. Simple as that.

First off the D.I.T.C. rack is a track by the name of 'Gospel Nights', a wee nugget of instrumental hip hop/reggae goodness by Beatphreak that I used to thrash the hell out of back in 2006 (or was it 2005? or 2007? It's all so blurry).

I'd forgotten about this little beauty until last week, when a friend bought it back onto my radar. After a bit of swift Googling, I managed to find 'Gospel Nights' on Beatphreak's website. And whaddayaknow - they're now giving it away. Nice work, chap/s.

'Gospel Nights' is living proof that good music doesn't have to be complicated. Beatphreak makes it look easy, taking a heavy bass line and some brassy brass and combining them with a heavy 95 BPM beat and a few choice vocal samples.

The track possesses a lovely build up too, and by the time the whole thing swings into action around the 1:40 mark, there's sure to be dance floor action a-go-go (well, there was in 2006, anyways).

Ahhh, this brings back some good, drunken memories of Friday nights at Good Luck Bar (big up!). I can smell CC and Dry every time this drops.

You can listen to and/or download 'Gospel Nights' by Beatphreak below:

Gospel Nightsbybeatphreak

If you like the sound of 'Gospel Nights' but are after something a little chunkier than a 110kbps MP3, you can head over to Juno Download.

Also, check out Beatphreak's website (where there are a bunch of tunes available for free download) or MySpace page to check out some more beats and pieces.

New Music: Nas & Damian Marley feat. Dennis Brown - Promised Land

Another track from Nas and Damian Marley has surfaced today, with Underground Charisma posting a new cut from the pair's impending Distant Relatives LP, due May 18.

While the majority of tracks that I've heard from Distant Relatives tend to favour the hip hop end of the spectrum, 'Promised Land' is firmly rooted in the Caribbean, employing a more mellow vibe than it's DR predecessors.

This, of course, is helped in no small part by Nasir and Damian borrowing a rather liberal chunk of Dennis Brown's classic tune of the same name. Regardless, it's nice to see that Distant Relatives - which I, for one, am really looking forward to -is shaping up to potentially be a more varied release than first anticiapted.

As you might expect, Marley is the star on 'Promised Land', holding down the majority of the track with ease while Nas plays the background, chipping in with a solitry verse somewhere in the middle. The whole thing is rounded out with aplomb by Mr Brown, who makes a post-humous appearance on the chorus to help pull it all together.

You can listen to the 'Promised Land' by Nas & Damian Marley featuring Dennis Brown below. If you can't wait for the album and you want to download it now, Google at your own risk. The DMCA got me shook.

In related news, London peeps lucky enough to have tickets (I do, I do!) can check out Nas and Damian Marley playing an intimate(ish) gig next week at Camden's Electric Ballroom next week. Bring. It. On.

DJ Premier vs. Pete Rock? Another Japanese exclusive

Back in the dark ages (we're talking pre-internet, kids), Japan regularly tormented me. But this isn't one of those "don't mention the war" moments - I'm not that old.

Rather, my point of irritation with the Land of the Rising Sun was based on their abundant supplies of the precious and prized slabs of hip hop wax that bore two magical words: "Japanese Exclusive".

You see, young'uns, prior to being able to log on to your favourite record store and buy whatever 12" your pocketmoney allows, laying hands on the multitude of hellishly dope releases from U.S. hip hop artists that originated from Japanese shores was nigh on impossible. But when you could get your hands on them, they were more often then not worth the hassle - and the dollars.

One of the legendary Tokyo record stores that would have held (and still does hold) so many of these vinyl treaures that my 18-year old self craved so badly is a shop by the name of Manhattan Records, a legendary vinyl spot which is soon to celebrate it's 30th anniversary.

Thirty years for a record store is damn good going, so you can be sure that the Manhattan crew are throwing a party to end all parties. What's on the cards? Another Japan-only exclusive - namely, a DJ battle featuring two production and DJing legends, DJ Premier and Pete Rock.

The battle is all going down on Sunday, 2 May in Tokyo. Tickets to what will be a night for the books are available via the Manhattan Records online store. Looks like Pete and Preem are pretty excited to be going, and who could blame them? This will be big... I certainly wouldn't mind being in the crowd when PR drops T.R.O.Y.

Watch the video below to get the inside scoop:



So, Japan hip hoppers win again. Lucky for some. But if, like me, you won't be in Tokyo on 2 May, you might need to make do with picking up one of the special t-shirts that Stussy has created to mark the occassion (picture above). These little numbers go on sale on 24 April, and are also available from the Manhattan Records online store.

While we're on the subject of Primo, check out his recent interview with Fader TV (spotted at Nah Right), where he talks about getting back in the studio with KRS-One to work on an album, tentatively titled Return Of The Boom Bip, with contributions from Q-Tip, Grand Puba and Ice-T. Hot damn:

Mix Tape: Jus Like Music and Apple Juice Break present Oscillations Part Two

The good folks at Jus Like Music and Apple Juice Break have kindly sent over the second instalment of Oscillations, a nice little package of glitchy goodness featuring a solid selection of dubstep-inspired goodies, and some atmospheric hip hop beats and pieces to boot.

I must admit, I’m only familiar with a handful of artists who are responsible for the 20-plus tracks that make up Oscillations Part Two, but I’m game for trying something new. You should be too, because there’s definitely some goodness on offer here.

For my money, tracks like Constrobuz’s ‘Listen Close’ and Kidkanevil and Oddisee’s ‘Zo0o0o0p’ (hope I got all that o/0’s in there) are hard to top – although at 1:26, the latter cut is only just getting going when it comes to what seems like an all too early halt (someone needs to extend this - dope beat!). No dramas, though; there’s plenty of good music elsewhere on OP2 to fill in the void, after all.

You can download Jus Like Music and Apple Juice Break present Oscillations Part Two here.

If you’re feeling Oscillations Part Two, make sure to check out the first edition, which is also available for free from the Jus Like Music Bandcamp site.

Live: Phife Dawg back on his game

I’ve been quite vocal in the past about the hip hop seniors tour that seems to wheel it’s way through Europe, and probably everywhere outside of the U.S. of A for that matter.

Most of the time, these gigs take me to an awkward place which straddles bemusement and sadness. It can be cringe-worthy watching your heroes of yesteryear puff and pant their way across stage, after all. You know the drill; toil through one verse of a song, then tell the DJ to cut the track so they can bask in the glory of their adoring masses… or more likely catch their breath.

As a result, I’ve started being a bit more selective about what 'golden era' gigs I attend. But sometimes, I take a gamble and turn up to shows that, on first impressions, could be described as 50/50 at best. The gamble? Miss a great show by a legend, or watch another hero become a sacrificial lamb as they throw down a half-assed show.

When I think of this scenario, once recent show springs to mind: namely, Phife Dawg, the venerable 5 Footer from A Tribe Called Quest, who touched down in London for a couple of gigs in March. “Phife? I bet he’d put on a great show!” I hear you say. Fair point. I’ve seen his Tribe running-mate Q-Tip a couple of times in the last year after all, and he’s put on damn good shows both times.

The situation with Phife is a little trickier, though – because he’s been facing a foe far greater than Father Time. If you’re a Tribe fan, you’re probably aware that Phife has diabetes - his immortal line from 'Oh My God', “when’s the last time you heard a funky diabetic?”, kinda gave that away. But you might not know the extent to which this disease has wreaked havoc on our man.

It got pretty dicey there, for a minute. Phife's diabetes, which was diagnosed in 1990, eventually led to him having to undertake dialysis for his failing kidneys from 2004 (although, as he told Okayplayer in a recent interview, his doctors told him he should have started it 5 years earlier).

Phife Diggy's health continued to decline though, until a kidney transplant was the only option left. He hit the operating table* in 2008 to receive his wife's kidney, and has been on the road to recovery ever since. You can read all about Phife's health battles in the excellent OKP interview mentioned above.

For anyone to have an organ transplant and return to health is impressive. But to return the stage? Well, hopefully you can understand why I was sceptical as to how good a show Phife could offer up. But you know what? Phife proved me wrong. It was one of the best shows I've seen in time. The five footer had presence and energy, and connected with the crowd with ease. A big old bag of classic material doesn't hurt either.

Phife mixed up the classics ('Electric Relaxation', 'Scenario', Find A Way') with some new material off his upcoming album Songs In The Key Of Phife (the first single sounds slick, by the way), some great exchanges with the crowd, and some impassioned pleas to buy t-shirts from the merch table. It's refreshing to see an M.C. admit that they need the money.

There were some great stories, too. Before launching into the Tribe classic, 'Can I Kick It', Phife took time out to tell the masses that this was the one song that he hated performing. It obviously brings up some bitter memories, as Phife recounted the story of how Lou Reed stung the group for all their publishing thanks to CIKI's healthy 'Walk On The Wild Side' sample. Tough break... but just like his health battles, Phife just kept on rocking regardless. Hats off to that man.

You can watch a patented AGOMWAB shaky-handed, shoddy-sounded video of some of Phife's show below (sounded? My En-ger-lind is on point today). Oh, and the geezer on stage with Phife? Chip Fu from the Fu-Schnickens, who opened the show - yeah! And finally, no, that's not me rapping along in the background to every song. My flow is far tighter than that. Cough.



*While we're talking Phife and surgery, actor Michael Rappaport, who is making a documentary on ATCQ entitled Beats, Rhymes And Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest, followed Phife on his way onto the operating table, with the footage set to be featured in the afore-mentioned doco, due out this year. You can read more about it here.

New Music: Dam-Funk - 'Paradise'

Los Angeles' "ambassador of boogie funk", Dam-Funk, has been firing out a string of free, unreleased cuts as of late, spreading the love by dropping an assortment of previously unheard tunes via Twitter.

As a general rule, Dam's free/unreleased series is made up of unmastered, rolling cuts which showcase the Leimert Park veteran's free-wheeling, keyboard-drenched take on modern funk music.

The latest release in the series is a top-notch tune by the name of 'Paradise', a slippery little Cali-funkateer keyboard workout that's sure to please those who like all things left coast.

'Paradise' definitely isn't a case of hit it and quit it; in fact, this is a song, that at 17 minutes and change in length, just keeps on giving.

You can download 'Paradise' by Dam-Funk here.

If you're feeling Dam's chops, visit the Stone's Throw website or Dam's Twitter page to check out other cuts in the D-F free/unreleased series, including 'Passion', 'Speak The Truth', and 'Do U Feel The Same Way I Do?'.

Mix Tape: The Roots - Dilla Jawns

I've been um-ing and ah-ing about whether to post this mix tape up for a few days. Which is about as long as I've been um-ing and ah-ing about how to spell um-ing and ah-ing.

But after sitting down and finally giving The Roots' Dilla Jawns a good listen tonight, I've realised that there's simply no future in fronting on this mix. So I won't front in the future.

Questlove originally released Dilla Jawns via Twitter a few months under the title Dilla Joints (hence the scribbled and scrawled artwork), but for some reason or another it didn't really catch on. It's been given a bit of a re-release of sorts though, so if you missed it first time around, here it is again.

Put simply, Dilla Jawns sees The Roots offer up some instrumental interpretations of Dilla beats. It's been billed as a collection of Dilla's greatest hits in some quarters, although that might be a bit of a stretch. I'm not sure that the outro to the Donuts album was a 'hit' in the classical sense, for example. Instead, I'd simply describe it as good musicians playing good music.

Hype Beast have done us all a favour by uploading Dilla Jawns onto the wonderful Soundcloud. What did we do before Soundcloud? Anyways... you can listen to Dilla Jawns in it's entirety below:

The Roots – Dilla Joints by Hypetrak

You can dowload the whole Dilla Jawns album in one foul swoop here.

New Music: Big Boi - 'Shutterbugg'

Hot damn... this is a tune and a half. I feel guilty that this has been sitting in my inbox for a while, because songs this good need to be liberated to the masses with the quickness.

There's been a lot of talk recently (if 'recently' denotes the last two years) about Outkaster Big Boi dropping his long awaited solo album, Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty.

A string of songs have already found their way online (including the dope 'Fo Yo Sorrows'). Now, BB has released what looks like the official first single from Sir Lucious (I've given up trying to keep up, to be honest), the insanely infectious 'Shutterbugg'.

This tune is a reminder about how good Big Boi can be when he really lets loose. Our man sounds positively inspired, going for broke over a dirty, funky beat comprised of equal parts bass heavy drums, electro tinges and vocoder vocals. Speaking of reminders, said beat is produced by a gentlemen by the name of Scott Storch. Return to form, anyone?

I have a feeling that this is going to be in heavy, heavy rotation for the next wee while, so get used to it or go home. You can listen to 'Shutterbugg' by Big Boi below:



While we're talking about Sir Lucious, which is now scheduled for a May 4 release, MTV is reporting that Big Boi's Outkast partner Andre 3000 will feature throughout the album, and will release his own solo album before the pair re-form like Voltron for an Outkast LP in two thousand and god knows when. You can read more about this here.

New Music: Joell Ortiz - 'Project Boy' (Prod. by DJ Premier)

How long has it been since I've posted up something by DJ Premier? Time... that's how long. So let's rectify that by posting up some straight fire in the form of 'Project Boy', a heavy, heavy hitter from Joell Ortiz featuring our man Preem on production.

If you've heard Joell go in before, you won't be surprised by 'Project Boy', which is laced with all kinds of verbal firepower. But it's Premier's beat that really sets this track apart from Joell's earlier work. Seriously, this is the dictionary definition of menacing.

Tell me if I'm being sentimental, but I don't think there's enough music like this being made these days. Premier serves up the heat like only he can (and as we all know, many have tried to replicate hit sound), and Joell straight murders the track. Fire.

You can watch the video for 'Project Boy' by Joell Ortiz, produced by DJ Premier, below:

New Music: Brownswood Bubblers Volume 5

What more can I say about the Brownswood Bubblers series? Not much, really. I don't mean to be rude, but if you have any sense of soul, then you will feel this compilation, put together by the one and only Gilles Peterson. If you don't feel it? Well, you're fronting. Simple as that.

Devotees of Gilles' Worldwide show on BBC1 will be up to speed with what to expect from Bubblers part cinq - namely, ethereal, soul-drenched goodness that has been tried and tested by GP himself.

In order to push Brownswood Bubblers Volume 5 out of the gate, Mr Peterson and the Brownswood crew have put together a selection of cuts, including hellishly soulful cuts from Ron Basejam, Electric Wire Hustle and Ragen Fykes. But for my money, it's hard to top Trilogy's stunning 'Brother Don't Cry'. It's... wow. Just, wow. Check it out for yourself.

You can listen to the Brownswood Bubblers 5 sampler here.

New Music: Reflection Eternal feat. Estelle - 'Midnight Hour'

As you might have noticed, I've been AWOL for the last 6 days. Put that down to trying to find inner peace in Morocco.

Unfortunately, I didn't find any peace (Marrakesh is a crazy town, to say the least), but I did get ripped off a few times. This has undoubtedly left me feeling a little surlier than usual, so with that in mind, let's get into ripping some music to shreds (just jokes).

I'll be playing catch up over the next few days, so please see it in your heart of hearts to not get to antsy if anything that I post has been floating around for a week or so already. Actually, I don't really care if you get antsy, to be honest (remember that heads up about me feeling a touch surly? So it begins.)

Well, where shall I start? How about the new Reflection Eternal single, 'Midnight Hour'? Okay, here we go. Now, for those of you who like your Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek of the more - dare I say it - underground variety, 'Midnight Hour' might not be what you're after.

But rappers need to sell records (believe it or not, they don't get any money from people downloading songs from blogs), and hopefully 'Midnight Hour' will help in this department. A guest appearance from Estelle won't hurt, here. And neither will a swing-heavy, up-tempo beat (borrowing from 'Mama Said' by The Shirelles - check my sample geek steez).

I, for one, am feeling this cut. It's a bit of a departure for R.E., and I don't think that's a bad thing at all. And for those of you hanging on for some of the more classical Reflection Eternal, fear not. Tracks like 'In This World' and 'Just Begun' (featuring Jay Electronica, J. Cole and Mos Def) are sure to keep you happy.

'Midnight Hour' will feature on the new Reflection Eternal LP, Revolutions Per Minute, which is now set for release on 18 May.

You can check out 'Midnight Hour' by Reflection Eternal featuring Estelle below:

Under The Radar: Dam.Kon - Going Back To Cali (Biggie vs. Dam-Funk)

I'm not normally one for mash-ups. The skill of tempo matching an acapella with a beat in this day and age isn't really... well, there's very little skill involved, is there? And just because the tempos match doesn't mean that the track sounds good, does it? Say it with me now... NO!

Sometimes, however, the planets align... things fall into place... and mash-up magic occurs. And today, ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to illustrate this point with what is a slamming example.

Earlier this month, the hip hop world tipped their New Eras in respect to a fallen legend - the Notorious B.I.G.

March 9 marked the 13th anniversary of Biggie's death, after he was gunned down on the streets of Los Angeles. I'm a little late for tributes obviously, but it seems fitting to go Under The Radar (c) and post up a quality Biggie mash up that adds a heavy Left Coast vibe to a Cali anthem - namely, 'Goin' Back To Cali'.

The formula here is simple: take Big's lyrics from the afore-mentioned, bonafide classic and slap them together with Dam-Funk's g-funk heavy synth workout 'Hood Pass Intact'. Then stand back and let the action happen.

This little number has been floating around for a year or so, but it still hits in a large way. Big up to Kon (of Kon and Amir fame), who pulled this mash-up together and put it out under the moniker Dam.Kon, while giving us a gentle reminder that Biggie Smalls is indeed the illest.

You can listen to and/or download 'Going Back To Cali' by Dam.Kon here.